Thousands of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops have been deployed along the border as Naypyitaw’s 28 February deadline to the former communist ceasefire groups drew to a close, according to Wa and Shan sources.
At Menglian (known by Shans as Monglem), opposite the Wa capital Panghsang, some 2,000 new troops armed with anti aircraft guns, are reported to have been sighted by local Shans.
The arrival of the PLA coincided with reports of aerial exercises of MiG29 fighters newly purchased by Naypyitaw in Kengtung just 100 km south of Panghsang.
According to the non-ceasefire Shan State Army (SSA) South, the Wa territory is under siege by three Light Infantry Battalions: 99th in the north, 55th and 33rd in the west and south, except in sectors occupied by the United Wa State Army’s western ally the Shan State Army (SSA) North and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).
Apart from the UWSA, only the NDAA has requested for the extension of the deadline. All of them, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), are reportedly holding emergency meetings to consider how to deal with the Burmese Army, whose vocabulary does not seem to include the word “give-and-take”.
Some Burma watchers think recent deployments by the Burmese Army are “just one big bluff”.
“Why should the junta fight the Wa, knowing it will only serve to hasten the unity between it and the SSA South,” said retired resistance commander Pai Mong (72). “If there is any fighting to be done, it would be against the SSA South, not against the Wa”.
The SSA South, that is active in the south, east and far north of Shan State, has naturally placed its troops on high alert ever since LIDs 55and 33 reportedly moved into their operational areas in the south since January.
Tension in Burma’s eastern states: Shan, Kachin, Kayah, Karen and Mon began since the end of the May 2008 referendum on the ruling junta-drawn constitution. Naypyitaw says since there should be only one military in one country, all armed groups should either dissolve or become part of the Tatmadaw (Burmese Armed Forces).
